Chris Osgood comes up big for Red Wings

AP PhotoRed Wings goalie Chris Osgood stopped 18-of-19 shots in the first period Tuesday against the Blackhawks. He finished with 37 saves.

DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood is not accustomed to being as busy as he was in the first period Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"They come at you from every angle, they're so fast and every line has a guy that can score," Osgood said. "They all have very good shots. I can't let up for a second against anybody on the ice. Even guys that don't have as much scoring prowess throw pucks to the net, crash the net."

Osgood was strong early, stopping 18-of-19 shots in the first period, and finished with 37 saves. Game 2 of the Western Conference finals was the second time in 13 playoff games Detroit was outshot -- albeit by the slimmest of margins, 39-38 -- but the Red Wings could have been out of it early if not for Osgood's strong play.

"He saved the game for us tonight again," forward Henrik Zetterberg said after his team's 3-2 overtime victory. "They had a lot of chances and he made some big saves. We need a goalie to play well for us in the playoffs, and he's been sharp all the way."

Osgood has a 2.04 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in the postseason -- a huge improvement from the regular season, when he posted a 3.09 GAA and .887 save percentage.

"Doesn't surprise us one bit, he's so competitive and so focused and so calm," Red Wings forward Dan Cleary said. "His calmness really instills confidence in us. He was great in the first period. During their five-on-three (power play for 59 seconds), he made big saves, kept us in the game. He's solid, he's a great goaltender."

Osgood is enjoying this goaltending duel with Nikolai Khabibulin, a pair of 36-year-olds who have won Stanley Cups and first opposed each other in the postseason in 1996, when Khabibulin played for the Winnipeg Jets. Detroit won that first-round series in six games.

"That was definitely a fun game, a fast-paced game," Osgood said. "I played against Khabby a lot, I have tons of respect for him. They got a fast, young, enthusiastic team. They gave us everything we could handle tonight."

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock liked the way Osgood responded when the Blackhawks crowded the net.

"They had lots of jams, stuff at his feet," Babcock said. "I thought he held his ground good and never got caught up in their guys bumping him."